DIY Essential Oil Recipe Box

With fall finally having arrived this week around here, I am ready to get this year's holiday gift making into really going. Today I posted a quick tutorial over on the Clearsnap Blog on how to make a quick and easy recipe box.

I plan to give these adorable recipe boxes filled with my favorite essential oil recipes away as gifts this holiday season. The only thing better than a homemade gift is a homemade gift that you can use to enhance your life and enjoy all year long!

Head over to the Clearsnap Blog and check out my quick tutorial! 

Cleaning up (our wood floors) with doTERRA!

I'm still relatively new to this whole essential oil thing, but its rapidly (and easily) taking over our household (and my friends too! THANKS, GUINEA PIGS!) You name it, I want to make it. Go figure, right?!

This past week I was in need of some floor cleaner and I made it. Between the internet in general and Pinterest, there are TONS of places to find ideas & recipes for all things essential oil. Don't believe me? Just check out (and follow!) my essential oil Pinterest board! ...it grows daily....

So, I stumbled into a great bounty of a website: thePaleoMama.com! I based my floor cleaner recipe on hers and love it! The recipe the Paleo Mama posted (here) is for a bucket of cleaner, but I wanted something I could mix into a 16 ounce glass bottle with a sprayer. When cleaning our floors, I use a sweeping/mopping robot for the bulk of our hardwood floors and then scrub the stairs with a cloth. Instead of dipping a dirty rag into a bucket of increasingly dirty water, I spray our floors allowing the robot and myself to have at least fresh cleaner as we make progress.

I scaled down the Paleo Mama's recipe and got the following recipe for my 16 ounce bottle:

2 tablespoons White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Castile Soap (I had Dr. Bronner's Sensitive on hand)
2 drops doTERRA Wild Orange
3 drops doTERRA Lemon
1 drop doTERRA Melaleuca
Filtered Water

Using a funnel, measure and add white vinegar, castile soap, and essential oils to glass bottle. Fill remaining void with water. Shake and set aside for an hour or so while the soap dissolves. Once solution appears clear, shake again and spray liberally to any and all wood surfaces you would like to clean. Just remember that separation (of oils) is natural and always shake before use.

The possibilities and scents for this cleaner are endless... well, as endless as your essential oil collection. I think my next batch will be a woodsier scent or, hell, pumpkin spice. Why not? 'tis the season!

I'm really considering hosting a doTERRA crafting party. Between household products to skincare and beyond, the possibilities are endless and would be an amazing girls night out! thoughts? would you come hang with me if you got a bath bomb out of it?!?!

Have questions regarding getting started with essential oils? Feel free to contact me! Whether you're looking to invest in doTERRA's oils (please feel free to sign up through my website found here!) or you have questions regarding all things essential oil, I would love to talk to you about it!

Super Cute! My First 10k "Run"

I really want to buy one of those baby frames and put a photo from my first race in it. I didn't finish with the best time, but I finished and that in itself is an accomplishment!

I spend the better part of the week before the race trying to talk myself out of it. I had a cut on my pinky toe from a few days before. I didn't know where to go for bib pick up. I didn't know how bib pick up worked. My kids were driving me crazy. Husband was super busy at work. The race started in the *gasp* morning.

But, I figured it out, got there and started. Then I wanted to stop. After waiting 40 minutes for the *cough* last corral to start, the masses in front of me started to move and so did I. Starting strong..ish... my calves started to revolt. Cramped into a coral doesn't really do much for the effort I took to stretch. So I slowed to a brisk walk knowing they would warm up and they did... after mile 2 was done.

By that time, I was about to pee my pants. The course had plenty of portapotties... but they also had abundant lines. I stopped at one... thinking it would be quick. After 6 minutes and the line NOT moving... and the sounds coming from within... I decided to move along. Mile 3 passed. I couldn't hold it any longer... and I certainly couldn't run any longer with out fear of leaking... So I stopped... again... the line moved quite quickly this time but it was many people deep. 11 minutes later, I could move again.

I made up some time and I even finished with a personal time of 1:20 which was my goal... Race results on the other hand shows 1:37... oh well. I got this shiny medal, a confidence boost, and a great 1st run in hindsight. Looking forward to Beat the Blerch (Sacramento) in November. Until then, we just keep training!

MEAL PREP MONDAY: Week of 8/31/2015

We finally returned from being gone for the past two months. This summer has been one big "off track" adventure. Weight loss has been slow but I have returned home 5 lbs lighter and able to "run" for 4+ miles which is a good thing because I have a 10k coming up at the end of September! All in all, the summer was great, but we're glad to be home and get back on track.

On the way home I meal planned for the week. After getting mostly unpacked, I hit the stores and started our meal prep for the week.

**What meal prep for us right now is completing lunches for myself and my husband for each week day, prepping healthy snacks with easy access, and then making sure its easy to assemble dinner each night for our family of four. If this work is done, our family has easy healthy options and we eat out less and feel better with a healthier diet.**

Shopping List: Lunches

3 Chicken Breasts
Beef Tritip
Albacore Tuna
Mixed Greens
Green Beans
Super Food Stir Fry Kit (Costco)
Whole Wheat Pasta
Misc Garden Veg
Fresh Garlic
Favorite Seasoning Blend

Keeping things simple this week, my plan started with a grilled tritip for dinner on Sunday night. To prep the rest, I seasoned the chicken breasts with a cajun seasoning blend and fresh garlic. While chicken was cooking with a smidge of olive oil, I started the stir fry mix in a pan and cooked my pasta as directed. Once stir fry was done, I placed it into its designated container and used the remaining stir fry sauce to steam the green beans. I also assembled a tuna salad to use as a snack and a meal for one day. Most containers contain 1 cup vegetables + 1/2 pasta + 4 ounce protein.

In the photos you can notice the differences between mine and husband's meals. I prefer chicken and dislike raw onion. He loathes cucumber...

Meal 1:
Spring Mix Salad with Chicken Breast (no dressing for me, blue cheese crumbles for husband)
Meal 2:
Chicken or Grilled Tritip with Pasta & Green Beans
Meal 3:
Tuna Salad and Crackers
Meal 4:
Grilled Tritip and Grean Beans
Meal 5:
Chicken Breast with Pasta & Green Beans

Sometimes the most boring meal preps are the most exciting! Don't mind me, I'm off to have some lunch!

the struggle is somewhat real...

Right now, I'm struggling. I see my goals, but my body is fighting me. This week was a little eratic and unpredictable and I have struggled everyday to accomplish my goals. I have not done any 5k training this week. I've only run a couple miles and I only put in about an hour with HIIT videos and/or weights.

We are currently visiting family and I am NOT in my element. I miss (but still hate) my trainer. I miss real gym equipement. I miss my kitchen & cookbooks. I miss my routine of working on my planners on Fridays and making a plan for the upcoming weekend & following week. 

And thats it. I don't have a plan. BUT, today is the perfect time to come to this realization. Its Planner Friday and I can make a plan to keep me motivated, fueled, energized, and rested.

After sitting down and thinking of what is affecting my energy levels and recovery times, I need to focus on two things: food & work out plan. Today I sifted through

Meal Plan Monday is about it be a thing again. I have kept on track with snacks lately with snacks (in LOVE with Simple Squares) and juicing, so those aren't really my problem areas with food atm other than I'm not working out enough to really take advantage of the benefits. Side note, I'm going to steal ALL the juice recipes...  Taking over the cooking at my mom/grandma's house will be HUGE this week.


I have also been saving pretty much every work out from FitnessBlender on youTube. Their videos seem approachable and modify-able. This week I think I am going to work on their fat burning/muscle building challenge as a sort of boot camp to get me back in gear. I really miss my trainer. Who knew THAT would happen...

With a challenge in mind for the week, I think I will keep running goals slow. Continue using the Zombies, RUN! 5K training app 3 days this week (meaning Friday-Thursday) and aim for a sunrise walk with my grandma. She walks a 24ish minute mile every morning. Very mellow. 

Here goes nothing... Do you have any tips for getting back on track? I'de LOVE to hear them!! 

Happy Friday! 

Pinterest got me excited this week with...

Painting leather... which is basically just painting leather but I like it and I would totally do it.

Making juice pops from my juicer!

This Lumpy Space Princess Tank even makes the boy want to work out with me!

Then... my feed was filled with muffins. Oh dear lord, MUFFINS. There is no other choice here but to make these..

and these too...

and these for sure!

now... we know I'm going to be busy working on these pinterest projects because that is totally how pinterest works. (i.e. see project, do project... right? maybe? once in a blue moon?) but I still want to hear, from you! Any good pinterest projects lately? Wanna come over and have some muffins?!?!?!

How I got my priorities back...

simply put... I got fed the fuck up. 

I enjoy volunteering my "talents" to the communities that surround me. This past spring I stuck my neck out just a little too far and was left feeling abused and taken advantage of. With out getting into the ugly details and finger pointing, I can confidently state that I finally learned my lesson of where to draw the line in terms of "giving" my time. 

After the dust settled from the last event I volunteered to chair, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I did wrong; what I could have done differently; what I could change. And the answer to all of the above was nothing. NOTHING. There was nothing I could have done that would have made this fundraiser a more successful event.

Following that train of thought, if I could do nothing. then what was I doing there at all? 

I looked around at our um... lived in house... at our two kids who need nothing more than my time and here I am GIVING it to other causes and I thought "where are my priorities?" 

Once there, I started looking at each thing in my life and I made a list of what I wanted to do with my time and where it ranked. My list looked something like this:

1. Our Family (live an active life with my children, encouraging and nurturing them into the amazing human beings they have the potential to be)

2. My Marriage (spend time and effort cultivating the relationship I have and hope to have with my husband) 

3. Health and  Fitness Goals (regain control of my eating habits and activity levels) 

4. Future Planning (spending time and effort adding to our financial goals/gains and security) 

5. Friendships (grow true and meaningful relationships with friends from the past, present and future)

Volunteering and helping others (on a MUCH smaller scale, with smaller roles) was and still on the list, but, RIGHT NOW, its not a top five priority. 

Once I could articulate my priorities, I could really see that I have been missing the mark on the things that were and are the most important... at least in my head. I found it heartbreaking that I gave away so much of myself when it was in no way beneficial to my goals. BUT, it marked a change in me and a change for the better. Since sitting down with my broken heart and my list, I have made changes and I'm seeing results. While my example of a "breaking point" is completely a first world problem, it was enough to have me evaluate and strive towards goals that truly impact MY life and I am a better person for it.

Have you taken time to think about your priorities? Are you living your life how you want to?

a long road ahead...

For the past year or so, I have been working on my personal health... or at least thinking about it. It all started with a fitbit. Tracking movement (or lack there of) really got me thinking about what I do everyday... How was I moving? What was I eating? Where was time going?

Over the summer of 2014 I moved more and I ate better and I lost 25lbs or so going into the fall. Then traveling husband and holidays happened and off the wagon I fell... tumbled... crashed in a horrific fiery explosion. KA-POW! In the spring of 2015 I started moving again but I also was working on a fundraiser that pushed me over my stress edge and into the land of eating out and playing video games. Along with some family drama, life was causing problems and I really didn't have motivation to do more. 

So I never really fully got back onto the wagon after all. Long story short, the stress of the fundraiser got me to my breaking point of "eff this, i'm out..." drops mic... 

Which was good in reality. I looked deeply at my obligations, where I spent my time, and what was valuable to me at the end of the day. I found the power to say no. To stop. To take the time to do what was important to me. I MADE PRIORITIES. 

In the list of my top 5 priorities, my personal health popped back up. Somehow I got it into my head that I wanted to run. There was a goal... How was I going to get there? When was I going to run? What did running mean? 

How? I was going to find a place where childcare would not be an issue and I was going to work out. I was going to move. 

When? Star Wars Half Marathon in January 2016. Done. (ps. is it crazy to sign up for a half marathon with out running ever before in my adult life? lil bit? k.) 

What does this  mean? It means I'm going to develop healthy habits and gain a more active lifestyle. Weight loss, strength training, endurance training, sweating a lot... 

One day, I wrote in my planner to look into gyms. You know, find some... price them... see about childcare... then not do anything about it. Later that day, I stopped into a local gym... and joined. 

Just. Like. That. 

Now, just about two months later, I've made some gains, hired a trainer, have experienced pains I didn't know could exist, and typed a very long post. There is more in there... but I'll talk about that more later... just happy to be moving again, no matter how long the road ahead of me is...